Key points:
- Eight local governments in Luzon and Palawan receive new Patient Transport Vehicles
- Each unit equipped with emergency stretcher, oxygen, GPS and wheelchair
- Initiative aims to bolster rural healthcare response capacity
To support emergency health services in geographically isolated areas, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) has donated Patient Transport Vehicles (PTVs) worth PHP 16.2m ($276,000) to eight local government units across Luzon and Palawan.
As announced by PAGCOR on 10 June, the beneficiaries include Rosario and Cuenca in Batangas, San Mateo in Isabela, Pola in Oriental Mindoro and four Palawan municipalities – Dumaran, Brooke’s Point, Magsaysay and Coron.
Each vehicle is fully outfitted with GPS navigation, a stretcher, oxygen tank, first aid supplies and a wheelchair, ensuring readiness for medical emergencies and patient transport.
PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Alejandro Tengco said the donation aims to help bridge the healthcare access gap in remote and underserved areas. “These vehicles improve the ability of LGUs to respond quickly to emergencies, especially where hospitals are far and resources are limited,” he noted.
The turnover ceremony took place at PAGCOR’s corporate office in Pasay City, attended by municipal representatives and healthcare officials. Some officials highlighted the life-saving impact these vehicles could bring to rural communities, such as Dumaran, where it takes over six hours to reach Puerto Princesa’s specialised medical services.
